Draft-gear.



A. L. STANFORD. DRAFT GEAR.

PPLIGATION FILED JUNI: 1. 190s.

A. L'. STANFORD.

DRAFT GEAR.

APPLIUATION IILBD JUNI: 1, 1908.

` 927,382. Patented. July 6,1909. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. e s

ARTHUR LfsiANroRD, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DRAFT-GEAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

`Patented July 6, 1909.

Application filed June l1, 1908. Serial VNo. 436,003.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR L. STANFORD, a citizen of the'United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain' new and use'- ful Improvements in Draft-Gears, of which 'the following is a specification.

which the wedges are subjected causes them to. bind or lockso tightly together that they will not release when relieved from pressure, so that the gearing will be thrown out of com- .ini'ssi'on as a means for relieving the cars from shocks or jolts. y Furthermore, the wedge mechanism of this cliaracterordinarily changes the direction of the line ofpressure and concentrates the pressure against the walls of the casing in such .manneras te subjectthem to a bursting straiii,wliich the casing mustbe heavily reinforced to withstand. H v

The object of the present invention is to overcome the objectionsabove noted and to provide a frictional action ofigreat intensity i i tangular casing havmgside wallsSand 9,y a i without changing the direction of the line of lpressure and without subjecting the walls of the casing to frictional action orlateral strain.

vA further object of the invention is, to maintain the line of pressure centrally between the walls of the-casing and to evenly distribute the ressure through the walls and the end oft e casing without subjecting the casing to a direct frictional action which would tend to wear out the casing and nemoved from the casingfandrenewed fromtime to time without disarranging or impairi ing the more permanentl portions of the mechanism. .l i 'i The inventlonalso contemplates the use of springs` which act in conjunction with the frictional` members and which\-are*so ai"- 7 againstmlged that they will befpietertl d excessive compression.

The invention further is intendedfto se# cure a compactness of 4arrangement which.;` will permit a draft mechanism of high eflie` cienc'y to be readily ,mounted withi'nidraft rigging of standard construction.

The invention further contemplates an air-j rangement which will entirely eliminate all wedging action so that the compression and release of the frictional. members will be pere formed smoothlyT and evenly despite the high degree of friction secured by the gearing.

Further objects of the invention will appear from a detailed description of the inveni' tion, which consists in thefeatures of con- -struction and combinationof partshereinj through the -`center thereof and showing the,

gearing in uncompressed condition ;'.Fig. 3 a similar view, showing tliegearing subjected to a maximum compression; Fig.` 4 a longitudinal sectional elevation,` taken through the center of the gearing Fig. 5 a cross sectional'view, taken on line 5`5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 a cross sectional view of the casing,'

looking toward the rear end thereof; and

Fig. 7V a perspective view of the frictional-v members of the gearing..`

The'gcaring comprises a substantially re`cioor 1() and a top 11.# The casing further comprises a rear end wal'l12whichis projected beyond the top walls of th'e casingto v provide side ilanges 13,- a top flange 14 and a bottom flange 15, the top and bottom flanges beine narrower than the side flanges shown in Fig. 6. The side walls of the casing are reinforced by means oflongitiidinally extending ribs lo which are llared at their rear ends 17V at the point where tl-ievribs merge` u intthevside iian es lattliefrcar end ofthecasi'ng `Interme( iatei the/ribs 116, the' side walls ofthe casinvare furtherrei-nforced ibya.; 18 `whiclrlies'within the -c'orner or angle betweenthe end ofthe side wall and ilange. Thetop and-bottoni walls `short tapered Weil) of the casing are reinforcedby means of lonl"gitu'dmally extending ribs 10 which alloril a earingfor a draft yoke 20 of standard size and construction, thehfaces of which yokev 'restupon the ribs 19,wliicli ribs are 'rounded'` `attheir reareiids 21 at the point wherethey ico merge into the top and bottom flanges 14 and 15, respectively. The reinforced end wall of the'casing finds a bearing against suitable stops or shoulders 22 which are secured tdthe car sills 23 in the usual manner.

The forward end of the-casing is open and has entered thereinto an outer socket plate 24 which is provided, on its outer face, with an outwardly projecting stop 25 of tubular formation, which stop is encircled by a heavy sprin 26. The outer coil of the spring is cut down' or tapered to provide a fiat bearing surface for a follower plate 27 whichbears against an enlarged inner head 28-of a draft bar 29 having a coupler head 30 of standard formation at its outer end. The yoke, draft bar and coupler head are of standard construction and need not be described in detail.

The rear or closed end of the casing re ceives an outer coiled springy 31 which encircles an inner coiled spring 32, the rear coil of which latter spring surrounds a circular boss 33 formed on the end wall of the casing. The forward ends of both the inner and outer springs bear against an inner socket plate 34, which corresponds in arrangement and function to the outer socket plate 24. The inner socket plate is provided', on its rear face,

with a boss 35 in alinement with the boss 33,

which bosses serve to hold the inner coiled spring and properly center it with respect to the outer coiled spring. Each of the socket v plates is provided with a recess 36, into which recesses are entered friction members. which act 1n opposition to one another.

The friction members are in the form ofshoes 37 and 38,-each of which is in the form of a block having a iiat outer face' 394 which fits snugly within the recesses provided therefor. Each of the shoes is provided with a concave inner face 4() which ls'struck on the arc of a circle, having a diameter slightly greater than the distance between the centers of the two faces. 1t is intended ,to 'form the shoes of rough cast metal so that the maximum friction will be aorded by their concave bearing faces. Thefiiction shoes cooperate with an inner friction disk 41 and a pair of outer friction disks 42. The friction disks lie in facial contact with one another, and the inner disk, in the preferred construction, is of twice the thickness of each of the outer disks and occupies a position between the two. Each of the disks is of cylindrical formation, being curved on a circle having the distance between the' vcenter points of the operating` friction shoes as a diameter. The inner friction disk is slightly offcenter transversely with respectto the two outer friction disks, so that the disks overlap one another' to a slight extent. 1n view ofthe fact that the line of curvaturefof the disks is struck on a radius slightly shorter than 7the radius of the concave bearing faces of the shoes, it will be apparent that the disks will contact the curved surfaces of the shoes on. v

but one` side and that a slight clearance will be afforded on the other side.l

The inner friction disk is provided, on one side, with an outwardly projecting rounded pivotal arm 43 -which projects through an opening44 in the adjacent side wall of the casing intermediate the side ribs 16 and is cored out to provide a pivotal bore 45 which receives a heavy round pivot pin 46, the ends of which are entered .through protubei'ant bosses 47 formed von the side of the casing above and below the opening 44. The two outer friction disks 42, in like manner, are each provided, on one side, with a pivotal arm 4S, which arms are entered through slots or openings 49 in the side wall of the casing, which, at this point, is thickened to provide a protuberant boss 50 which receives a heavyr pivot pin 51 entered through a cored hole 52 1n the protuberant boss and through cored holes 53 in the projecting arms.. The pivot pins on both sides are preferably in the form of rough castings which are entered through 'rough pivotal holes in the projecting pivotal arms, whereby the frictional actionbetween the surface of the pins and the pivotal arms will be maintained at a maximum.

Referring to Fig.- 2, it will be noted that when the parts are in normal or uncom- -only on the side adjacent the pivotal mounting for the disk, a clearance being afforded between the opposite surface of the disk and the adjacent wall of the slice. When the parts are moved to full compressed position, as shown in Fig. 3, the centers of the friction disks willhave been swung to a position to the rear of the center line between the two pivotal points equal in extent to the distance in advance of such line previously occupied by the disks. The parts are so proportioned that the disks will swing in the arcs of circles which intercept each other twice during the complete retraction of the disks, which swing of the disks results in a turning or sliding movement with respect to the surfaces of the cooperating shoes, whereby a high degree of friction will be generated. When the disks have been swung to an intermediate position, in which theirY centers are coincident with the line between the two axes of movement, the respective disks will contact tlie concave surfaces of the bearing shoes only on movement of the disks from initial to Afinal position they will move freni contact'wilthrf; one side of the concavepsurfaces ovcrftojtli' other side and thenback to the initial points of contact. The intention is to provide a operating concavity in each of the shoes just sufficient to )ermit of this disks while maintaining a close frictional contact between the disks and the shoes at the intended points` The rough end of the cast ings serves to maintain avery considerable degree of contact between the surfaces of the she s and the surfaces of the disks at all points in their line of travel.

In order to maintain the pivot pins against rotation so that friction may be generated between the pins and the pivotal arms of the disks rather than between the pins and the casing, keys 54 and 55 are inserted within cokeyways 56 and 57 in the pins and in the walls of the bosses,'respectively,the walls of thebosses, at a point 58, adjacent the inserted key, being suitably thickened to compensate for the provision of the keyway.

`As shown in Fig. 5, the pinwhich pivots the intermediate disk isheld by two keys which occupy positions near the ends of the pin, whereas the pin which pivots the two outer disks is held against rotation by a single key which occupies a position near the center of the pin, being entered into place through an extended keyway.

In use, slight shocks or jars will be taken up by the forward spring 26, without bringing the frictional members into play and without appreciably compressing the rear springs. In case of heavier shocks or jars, the forward spring can be compressed until l the follower plate 27 is brought into contact with the forwardly extending stop 25, which prevents further compression of the forward spring, which spring is constructed to maintain a slight clearance between the coils even when compressed to its fullest extent, as shown in Fig. 3f A continued thrust of the follower plate simultaneously sets up a frictional action and a spring action, causing the forward 'friction shoe to bear against the friction disks and move them-rearwardly from their initial position. Such movement is likewise imparted to the rear springs, so that the continued movement due to the heavy shock or jar` will set up a powerful frictio/nal and spring action, which increases very/rapidly as the p arts are moved farther and farther out of normal position. The frictional action, due to a swinging movement of thedisks under the direct thrust of the forward friction shoe, will be set up, in part, at the points of contact between the disks and the forward and rear shoes, and, in part, against the inner sides of the pivot pins, against which theldisks are thrust when subjected to pressure. The pressure, due to the direct thrust of the for ward friction shoe, will be transmitted Vthrough the disks, the rear shoe and the springs again st the rear end wall of the casing; and the pressure transmitted to the pivotal ins will be distributed throughout the reinforced side walls of the casing, so that no porshifting movement of the compressed.

tion of the casing will be subjected to a bursting strain or excessive pressure.

The-formation of the frictional members is one which enables the parts to be very compactly arranged, in view of the Vfact that convex and concave surfaces are fitted one into the other; and the nature of the 4device is one which enables the frictional. members to be readily renewed, after excessive wear, without impairing in any way the more permarient portions of the draft gearing. The inner or rear s rings are protected by the for ward end of t e casing, which is intended to receive the contact of the follower plate when the springs have been subjected to their ultimate degree of compression, the s rings being constructed to provide a slight c earance betweenthe coils, even when so The structure is substantially symmetrical with respect to its longitudinal center, so that the strain will be equally distributed to both sides of the casing, and the absence ol' wed ing surfaces eliminates thepossibility of any locking or crainping of the parts.

Although the invention has been described with considerable particularity as to detail, it is plain that the number and arrangement of the friction members can be considerably changed without departing from the spirit of the invention.`

In the case of draft gearing embodying wedging frictional members, difficulty is experienced in returning the gearing to normal position, and spring action is relied upon to secure such return. In the present invention, the frictional members will return instantly to normal position, when subjected to even a slight pressure, and wearing, due to Vfrictional action on the release, will be entirely eliminated..

'What I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a draft gearing, the combination of a casing, an intermediate friction disk and two outer friction disks, the intermediate disk being of substantially twice the thickness of each of the outer disks, said disks having rounded frctional surfaces, pivotal arms out# wardly projecting from the disks, pivot pins entered Vthrough said pivotal arms and through the side walls ofthe casing for pivoting the disks normally off center with respect to one another, forward and rear friction shoes having concave acting faces bearing against the surfaces ,of all the disks, a rear spring adapted to hold the rear shoe in engagement with the disks, and a member bean ing against the forward shoe and forwardly projecting beyond the casing and adapted to impart'a 'compressing action to the forward shoe, substantially as described.

2. In a draft gearing, the combination of a casing, an intermediate friction disk and two outer friction disks, the intermediate disk bevspring surrounding said stop member and normally projecting beyond sa1d member for caisse ing of substantially twice the thickness of each of the outer disks, said disks having rounded frictional surfaces, pivotal arms out-- wardly projecting from the disks, pivot pins entered through said pivotal arms and through theside Walls of the casing for pivotilig the disks normally off center With respect to one another, forward and rear friction shoes having concave acting faces bearing against the surfaces of all the disks, a rear socket plate carrying the rear friction shoe,. inner and outer rear springs bearing against said socket plate, a forward socket plate carrying the forward shoeand provided with a' forwardly. extendin stop member normally projecting beyond t e casing,` anda forward compensating slight shocksor j ars', substan-- tially as described. Y' i 3. In a draft gearing,`the combination of a casing, an intermediate friction disk and twoouter friction disks, the intermediate disk bie-4 ing of substantially twice thethickness of/ each of the outer disks, said disks having rounded frictional surfaces, pivotal arms outwardly projecting from the disks, ,pivot pins entered through said ivotal arms and faces of the disks, and means for holding the friction shoes in frictional contact with the.

disks, substantially as described. Y

5 in a draft gearing, the combination of a casing, two fiat friction members overlying one another and having rounded frictional surfaces, each of said members'having an out- War" ly projecting pivotal arm, pivot pins on opposite sides of the casing entered through said arms and ythrough the casing, forward and rear friction shoes having concave acting faces bearing against the rounded faces of the i Witnesses:

through the sidewalls of t v e casing for pivoty mg the disks, forward and rear friction shoes WALKER BANNING, OsoAR W. vBonn.

disks, and means for holding the shoes in` 

